Islet cell pathways and regulators in early type 1 diabetes
Official title: Pathways and Regulators Driving Progressive Islet Cell Dysfunction in Type 1 Diabetes
Funded at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories · NIH-11457916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will study how insulin-producing beta cells deteriorate before type 1 diabetes becomes clinically apparent, using cutting-edge tissue analysis to find molecular clues that could lead to new therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richland, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $696,361 |
| NIH project number | 2R01DK122160-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with early type 1 diabetes or people at risk who have available pancreatic tissue samples or willing donor tissue contributions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to or without donation of pancreatic tissue samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at why beta cells lose function early in type 1 diabetes by examining human pancreatic tissue from donors with stage 1 or recent onset disease. The team will use spatial omics to map proteins and lipids in tiny islet regions and connect these patterns to disease progression. They will combine live tissue imaging with detailed molecular profiling to identify signals that drive inflammation and beta-cell decline within each donor. Findings could point to new targets for therapies that slow or halt disease progression. The study emphasizes understanding variability between individuals by focusing on intra-donor islet microenvironments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new therapeutic targets to preserve beta-cell function and delay or prevent progression to clinical type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using spatial omics have shown promise in mapping islet biology, supporting potential for meaningful insights in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories
Richland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qian, Wei-Jun — Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories
- Study coordinator: Qian, Wei-Jun
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.